Composition, optically anisotropic layer, liquid crystal cell, liquid crystal display device, sensor, lens, switching element, isolator, and camera

This application is a Continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP2023/017002 filed on May 1, 2023, which was published under PCT Article 21(2) in Japanese, and which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-079213 filed on May 13, 2022. The above applications are hereby expressly incorporated by reference, in their entirety, into the present application.

The present invention relates to a composition, an optically anisotropic layer, a liquid crystal cell, a liquid crystal display device, a sensor, a lens, a switching element, an isolator, and a camera.

In recent years, there has been a demand for a light absorption anisotropic film having absorption in an infrared region in various applications such as a display device, a camera, and a sensor.

For example, WO2018/088558A discloses a polarizing plate having absorption in an infrared region, which is the light absorption anisotropic film. The above-described polarizing plate is obtained by infusing a polyvinyl alcohol film with a dichroic substance which absorbs infrared rays by an infusing treatment, and stretching the obtained film.

On the other hand, in recent years, with the development of a sensor device, there has been a demand for a film which has absorption in a short-wave infrared region (SWIR; wavelength of 1,000 to 1,700 nm) having a longer wavelength than a near-infrared region (NIR; wavelength of 780 to 1,000 nm) and has absorption anisotropy in this SWIR region.

As a result of examination on absorption anisotropy of the polarizing plate disclosed in WO2018/088558A, the present inventors have found that the current requirement level has not been satisfied and thus further improvement is necessary.

An object of the present invention is to provide a composition with which a liquid crystal layer having a maximal absorption wavelength in an infrared region (particularly, a wavelength of 1,000 to 1,700 nm) and excellent absorption anisotropy can be formed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an optically anisotropic layer, a liquid crystal cell, a liquid crystal display device, a sensor, a lens, a switching element, an isolator, and a camera.

As a result of intensive studies to achieve the above-described objects, the present inventors have found that a liquid crystal layer having a maximal absorption wavelength in an infrared region (particularly, a wavelength of 1,000 to 1,700 nm) and excellent absorption anisotropy can be formed using a composition containing a coloring agent compound having a cationic structure represented by Formula (I) described later and a reduction body thereof, and have completed the present invention.

In other words, it has been found that the above-described objects can be achieved by adopting the following configurations.

[1] A composition comprising:

[2] The composition according to [1],

[3] The composition according to [1] or [2],

[4] The composition according to any one of [1] to [3],

[5] An optically anisotropic layer comprising:

[6] An optically anisotropic layer obtained by fixing an alignment state of a composition which contains at least one specific compound selected from the group consisting of a coloring agent compound having a cationic structure represented by Formula (I) described later and a reduction body of the coloring agent compound, and a polymerizable liquid crystal compound.

[7] A liquid crystal cell comprising:

[8] A liquid crystal display device comprising:

[9] A sensor comprising:

[10] A lens comprising:

[11] A switching element comprising:

[12] An isolator comprising:

[13] A camera comprising:

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a composition with which a liquid crystal layer having a maximal absorption wavelength in an infrared region (particularly, a wavelength of 1,000 to 1,700 nm) and excellent absorption anisotropy can be formed.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an optically anisotropic layer, a liquid crystal cell, a liquid crystal display device, a sensor, a lens, a switching element, an isolator, and a camera.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

The description of configuration requirements described below may be made based on typical embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiments.

Any numerical range expressed using “to” in the present specification refers to a range including the numerical values before and after the “to” as a lower limit value and an upper limit value, respectively.

In addition, in the present specification, substances corresponding to respective components may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds thereof. Here, in a case where two or more kinds of substances are used in combination for each component, the content of the component indicates the total content of the substances used in combination, unless otherwise specified.

In addition, in the present specification, “(meth)acryl” denotes “acryl” or “methacryl”, and “(meth)acryloyl” denotes “acryloyl” or “methacryloyl”.

In addition, in the present specification, a relationship between angles (for example, “orthogonal”, “parallel”, and the like) is intended to include a range of errors acceptable in the art to which the present invention belongs. For example, it means that an angle is in an error range of ±5° with respect to the exact angle, and the error with respect to the exact angle is preferably in a range of ±3°.

In addition, in the present specification, “may have a substituent” includes not only an aspect of not having a substituent but also an aspect of having one or more substituents.

Here, examples of the substituent include substituents described in the following substituent group A.

<Substituent Group A>

The substituent group A represents a halogen atom (for example, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, or a bromine atom; preferably a chlorine atom or a fluorine atom and more preferably a fluorine atom);

The composition according to the embodiment of the present invention is a composition containing at least one specific compound selected from the group consisting of a coloring agent compound having a cationic structure represented by Formula (I) described later and a reduction body of the coloring agent compound, and a liquid crystal compound.

[Specific Compound]

The specific compound contained in the composition according to the embodiment of the present invention is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a coloring agent compound having a cationic structure represented by Formula (I) (hereinafter, also abbreviated as “specific coloring agent compound”), and a reduction body thereof.

Here, it is preferable that the specific coloring agent compound has an anionic structure together with the cationic structure represented by Formula (I). The anionic structure may be included as a free anion (ion), or may be linked to the cationic structure through a covalent bond.

In Formula (I), Lrepresents —P(═X)R—, —SiR—, —BR—, —S(═X)—, or —S(═X)—, where Rrepresents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, provided that, in a case of a plurality of R's, the plurality of R's may be the same or different from each other, and X represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or a selenium atom;

Examples of the “substituent” described in each of the above-described symbols in Formula (I) include those described in the substituent group A above.

In Formula (I), as described above, Lrepresents —P(═X)R—, —SiR—, —BR—, —S(═X)—, or —S(═X)—. Rrepresents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, in which, in a case of a plurality of R's, the plurality of R's may be the same or different from each other. X represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or a selenium atom.

Regarding “—P(═X)R—” as one aspect of L, X is preferably an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, and from the viewpoint of ease of synthesis and solubility in a solvent, an oxygen atom is more preferable.

In addition, it is more preferable that Rrepresents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group, or a heteroaryl group, which may have a substituent. Examples thereof include those described in the substituent group A above.

Regarding “−SiR—” as one aspect of L, Rpreferably represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group, a heteroaryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, or an alkenyloxy group, which may have a substituent. Examples thereof include those described in the substituent group A above.

In addition, a plurality of R's may be the same or different from each other.

In addition, two R's may form a ring, or Rmay be bonded to a hetero ring containing adjacent S to form a ring.

Regarding “—BR—” as one aspect of L, Rpreferably represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group, a heteroaryl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, or an alkenyloxy group, which may have a substituent. Examples thereof include those described in the substituent group A above.

In addition, Rmay be bonded to a hetero ring containing adjacent S to form a ring.